from here:
https://github.com/fenrus75/powertop

they say:
Kernel Parameters:
------------------

PowerTOP needs some kernel config options enabled in order function properly.
As of linux-3.3.0 these are (list probably incomplete):

CONFIG_NO_HZ
CONFIG_HIGH_RES_TIMERS
CONFIG_HPET_TIMER
CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_ONDEMAND
CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND
CONFIG_SND_AC97_POWER_SAVE
CONFIG_TIMER_STATS
CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS
CONFIG_PERF_COUNTERS
CONFIG_TRACEPOINTS
CONFIG_TRACING
CONFIG_EVENT_POWER_TRACING_DEPRECATED
CONFIG_X86_MSR
ACPI_PROCFS_POWER
CONFIG_DEBUG_FS

Use these configs from linux-3.13.rc1
CONFIG_POWERCAP
CONFIG_INTEL_RAPL

The patches in the patches/ sub-directory are required for PowerTOP to function
fully.